How He Wins and Loses
by forbiddenxfairytales
Summary: She didn't know it, but winning was new to him. And Saeki never knew his honey could be such a tease.


A little different than what i'm used to writing, but I couldn't resist...  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Voltage.

* * *

"Saeki, stop teasing me!"

It was a phrase she said often. And his response was always the same: a chuckle or a kiss on the cheek  
or a "But honey, you're so much fun to tease!"

At first, she hadn't minded.  
She still didn't mind much, in fact.  
But once, just once, she wanted to see Saeki lose his composure.  
Just once, she wanted to have the upper hand.

So one night at Long Island, when she had finally escaped the guys' teasing and Saeki's intentionally  
smothering hug, she straightened her rumpled clothing indignantly, turned to her fiancé and said, "I'll  
win. Just you wait and see."  
For a moment, Saeki looked surprised.  
Then he grinned.

"I'm looking forward to watching you try, honey." he said, and then he put his arm around her shoulders and pressed his lips against her temple.  
He didn't believe her for a second.  
But she would win.  
She had to.

* * *

For what was probably the first time in his life, Takamasa Saeki was completely speechless.

"What's wrong, Saeki?" his wife asked.  
But there was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she stepped into his office carrying his usual cup of coffee in her hands and wearing nothing but Saeki's favorite white shirt.

Sure, he had brought up the idea multiple times, but he had always been teasing just to see her cheeks flush in the most adorable show of embarrassment he had ever seen. He had never expected the joke to lead to this.  
Not that he minded, of course.

Saeki quickly attempted to cover his shock with a smile, but already, his writer's mind was beginning to spin…erm…very creative scenarios.  
And judging by that expression on his fiancee's face, she knew exactly what he was thinking.  
"You're supposed to call me sweetie, remember?" Takamasa said, getting up from his chair and slipping his arms around her waist.  
She smiled up at him endearingly. Then, tiptoed to give him a light kiss…

On the cheek.

"Your coffee'll spill." she said, prompting Saeki to reluctantly release his hold on her. "How's your work coming along?"  
His wife set the coffee mug on the desk beside his laptop and turned to him curiously.

Saeki smiled.  
"Do you want to read through the draft, honey?"  
Immediately, her face lit up, all traces of mischief fading.

"Can I?" she asked eagerly.  
Saeki chuckled. He couldn't always predict what his wife would say or do, but her love for his writing never changed. And for that, he would always be grateful.  
"Of course." he replied.

Takamasa began pushing his office chair toward her, but that was when she did something surprising.  
Dressed in only his rather short button down, she bent over the desk leaving just enough to Saeki's imagination to make him blush; and he almost never blushed.  
Startled, Saeki froze in place, unable to do anything but watch her as she read. His eyes traveled up her leg, down the silhouette of her waist, but always ended at the hem of the shirt.

Suddenly, he caught her eye; it was just for a second, but that was long enough for him to understand.  
She...was teasing!…  
The thought amused him.  
Grinning, he went over to her, pulled her closer and began to whisper something in her ear when-

"I'm finished reading."

And suddenly, she wasn't in his arms anymore, but all the way across the room.  
"I liked it…sweetie. But I'm getting sleepy, so good luck with your script!" she said with a wave and a deceivingly innocent smile.

She was leaving?...  
The door shut, leaving Takamasa all alone to try and gather his scattered thoughts, but the only thing he could think over and over again was this:  
_I never knew my honey could be such an awful tease…_

* * *

The second night was worse than the first.  
Better, and worse.  
Much, much worse.

Saeki had just come back from a press conference, exhausted and ready to relax at home with a cup of coffee and her. The day had been long, but he could be with his fiancée now and that made it all better.  
Whistling cheerfully, he turned the lock and opened the apartment door, feeling the same sense of odd excitement he felt every time he knew he was about to see her.  
Then he stepped inside, took off his shoes, followed the warm, familiar scent of her cooking to the kitchen…

And nearly dropped his briefcase.

"Oh? You're back!"  
"I…" Saeki stammered.  
"What's wrong?"

A light _ding!_ went off and she gasped.  
"The oven…"  
Quickly, she turned to save her baked dish, exposing her entire bare backside as she did so.

Saeki wanted to start kissing her right then and there, but now that he knew this was a game, he had to win.  
But it was difficult. Oh, so difficult…Especially when she remained in nothing but the apron all throughout dinner. And when he was inches away from her, attempting to dry the dishes as she washed them, after.  
Her arm would graze his, or a cluster of bubbles would land on her bare skin somewhere and he would feel compelled to reach over and brush the bubbles away…

But he'd hold himself back. He had to. Or he'd lose it.

Finally, when the last bowl had been put away, Saeki let out a deep gasp of air he hadn't even known he'd been holding, and ran for his room as quickly as he could.  
Saeki didn't know it, but his wife giggled as she watched him go.

* * *

It was almost too difficult for Saeki to stand it in any longer.  
Especially when she started to do things like _**that**_: when they'd walk home together and out of nowhere, she'd push him up against the wall and give him a rough, but still-sweet kiss and then suddenly…just…stop and casually continue walking, smiling over her shoulder at his breathless, blushing, and flustered form.

The first time it happened, Takamasa had been too shocked to respond or retaliate.  
The next time, in the store room of Long Island, he had managed to catch her by the waist just seconds before she did it.  
"Are you having fun teasing me, honey?" he whispered into her hair.  
And then he had leaned down to give her a kiss that would finally end this agonizing game for him, but then…

"Uncle! Where did you say you kept the napkins?"  
Saeki barely released her before the door to the store room burst open.  
He knew better than to incur Kuni's wrath.  
But…  
"Geez, you two are useless." Yamato grumbled as he pushed past the couple and reached for the top shelf.

* * *

Days passed.  
Nothing happened.  
And that made Saeki anxious.

Because it was getting harder and harder for him to resist. Especially when he was caught off guard.  
And he was afraid that one of these days, she'd surprise him with something big.  
Every time she edged near him, his spine tingled in anticipation, excitement, and just a little bit of fear.  
But she hadn't done anything yet.

They were at a stalemate and it was his turn to make a move.  
But he didn't know what he could do.

That was when it happened.  
She walked into his study that Saturday night.  
He heard her footsteps, turned around to catch her before she could catch him first but…  
She didn't try to kiss him, she was completely clothed, and in her hands was a script.

**That** script.  
The one he had torn up so long ago.  
The one he thought she had given up trying to fix.  
The pages were awfully wrinkled from being taped together and little bits and pieces of it were missing here and there, but there it was. All 173 pages of it.  
Checkmate.  
That was when Saeki knew beyond all doubt that he had lost.

"S-Saeki. What are you doing?"  
But Takamasa just pulled her in closer and continued to kiss her; neck, ear, lips, shoulder- moaning when she finally pressed her body up against his and began to kiss him back.  
Win or lose; Saeki didn't care anymore.

But suddenly-  
"W-wait!"  
His wife's hands covered his, stopping them from undoing the front buttons of her cardigan.  
"Do you want me to stop, honey?" Saeki murmured, but he already knew what her answer would be.  
And sure enough, his fiancée blushed and shook her head.  
"…Not here…The bed…"

Saeki's face immediately broke out into a smile and he swept her up and headed for their bedroom with her in his arms.  
"You always win. It's not fair." his wife grumbled as he went, but Saeki knew she was trying not to smile.  
So he just chuckled and planted a soft kiss on her eyelid as he laid her gently down onto the bed.

She didn't know it, but winning was new to him.  
Because every battle he, Takamasa Saeki, had ever fought in the past- against his father, against the press, against himself- was a battle he'd fought alone.  
And then he'd met her and everything had changed.  
Because really, despite their silly little games, he knew that they were, and always would be, on the same team.  
And so did she.


End file.
